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What makes Amalfi and Sorrento Lemons so special? 

Last Updated on 11th March 2024 by Sophie Nadeau

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Juicy, succulent, and somewhat bitter, if there’s one fruit associated with southern Italy more than any other, it’s the lemon. In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about Sorrento lemons, as well as Amalfi Lemons, and where you can have some citrus-themed experiences for yourself.

Please note that Amalfi lemons are known as ‘sfusato Amalfitano’ in Italian and Sorrento lemons are known as ‘limone di Sorrento‘. They belong to different categories; Amalfi belongs to the ‘sfusato’ and the Sorrento belongs to ‘Femminello’.

Drink a limoncello spritz
Enjoying a limoncello Spritz in Sorrento

How are lemons used in Italy?

Lemons have been used in Italy for well over two millennia. Archaeological digs at Pompeii and Herculaneum have shown the use of lemons by the Romans and they were even depicted in mosaics adorning the villas of the wealthiest Romans who resided there.

Lemons are a firm kitchen staple in Italy, as evidenced by their use in both savoury and sweet dishes. Classic recipes making use of the zesty fruit include granitas (a refreshing shaved ice which is served in the summer months), in various liqueurs (limoncello is the one which first springs to mind), and even in lemon pasta (one of my favourite summer meals) and risotto (known as risotto al limone).

fresh lemon juice
Fresh lemon juice made by our host from his very own lemon grove at our hotel in the Amalfi Coast

If the primary taste of lemon isn’t really your thing, then you don’t need to worry as it’s also often used as a flavour accompaniment to other herbs and spices. For example, lemon is often used to marinate meat and fish and even vegetables and salads by the people of Campania.

Lemons are also used in non-culinary situations, such as in essential oils, aromatherapy, in candle making, and even as a cleaning product. Indeed, it is even sometimes used as a nontoxic insecticide treatment.

stroll around the town
Lemon themed tables for sale in Positano

What makes lemons from the Amalfi coast different?

Well, unlike the small oval-shaped lemons you’ll find in supermarkets across much of Europe and North America, the lemons from the Amalfi Coast are huge (some as large as your face or even melons), have few seeds, and are sweet and juicy (up to 25% of their volume is juice).

The skin is softer on the varieties found here, not to mention that the rind is not as bitter. In fact, you could probably eat an Amalfi lemon in the same way in which you would eat an orange or a tangerine- that is how sweet, succulent, and juicy they are.

Amalfi and Sorrento lemons only grow on this stretch of coastline due to it being the perfect climate for these citruses to thrive. The rocky nature of the steep coastline means that a unique temperate micro-climate with fertile soil is created.

This protects the citrus groves from the fierce sea breeze, though a little wind still gets through, meaning that the lemons are cool enough to grow.

This added to the amount of sun the Amalfi coast receives on an annual basis creates the perfect conditions for the limones to grow. However, as with other places in Italy (such as Cinque Terre), the rocky terrain makes it impossible to collect the lemons with machinery, meaning that they have to be harvested by hand. All commercial attempts to grow the Sfusato amalfitano outside of Italy have failed.

amalfi lemons

The history of Amalfi lemons

While lemons from Sicily have enjoyed centuries of popularity, this wasn’t always the case for the sfusato Amalfi lemon. Sfusato is the italian word for ‘spindle’, which is most probably a reference to the lemon’s elongated shape and tapered end.

The birth of the ancestor of the Amalfi lemon we know today was probably at some point during the 11th-century, when farmers crossed the bitter spindly lemon with local bitter oranges.

As Amalfi was a fierce seafaring nation during the Middle Ages, with wide trade networks all over the Mediterranean, this probably increased the spread of the citrus fruit pretty rapidly. At this time, lemons were not only prized for their varied uses, but also for the fact that they could be consumed to prevent scurvy among sailors.

amalfi lemon
Amalfi lemon

One of the first attestations of the unique quality of Amalfi lemons was by botanist GB Ferrari in 1646; ‘the nipple is prominent, the rind is rough, pleasantly scented with a sweet taste, the flesh has 8 or 9 segments, the taste is pleasantly sour.’

Today, only sfusato grown along a 20 mile strip between Vietri and Positano can legally be called and sold as an Amalfi lemon (this is an IGP status – Indicazione Geografica Protetta).

Meanwhile, Sorrento lemons belong to the limone femminello cultivar and are sometimes referred to as the ‘Sorrento Oval’ or ‘Massa lemon’ on account of their oval shape. They are cultivated on the nearby Sorrento peninsula.

granita truck
A granita truck sells shaved lemon ice along the Amalfi coastline

When is the lemon harvest on the Amalfi coastline?

There are actually several harvest of lemons throughout the year. Lemon trees bloom five times annually and so you can often harvest lemons between January and the end of October, meaning that you’re never too far away from a fresh lemon! With this being said, the best, juiciest lemons are harvested between March and late July.

Are Sorrento lemons the same as Amalfi lemons?

No. Sorrento and Amalfi lemons are different varieties and, if you look closely enough, you’ll spy a few major differences between both the IGP-protected citrus fruits. The main differences are that Sorrento lemons are slightly rounder, while Amalfi lemons are more elongated and ‘spiky’ in their appearance.

lemon souvenirs

How to experience the lemons of Amalfi and Sorrento

Wander around Sorrento: To be honest, one of the best ways to experience the lemons of Sorrento is simply to wander around the town and allow the settlement to reveal itself to you. Even before you reach Sorrento itself, you’ll soon spy the mass of cirus groves (referred to locally as ‘lemon gardens’) surrounding the town. Once inside the pedestrianised centro storico, you’ll find cafés selling lemon-fragranced goodies and even stalls selling whole big-as-your-face lemons.

centro storico sorrento
The narrow streets of Sorrento are filled with boutiques selling lemon-inspired products

Try lemon products: One of the more unusual treats you can sample while in Amalfi is a lemon coffee! Limoncello is the most popular liqueur lemon drink and is the second most popular consumed drink in Italy! This syrupy sweet drink is often consumed as a shot post dinner and is the perfect souvenir to take home from your Italy trip.

O’Parrucchiano La Favorita: If you’ve spent any time on social media researching the best things to do in Sorrento, then you’ll no doubt have come across the famed lemon restaurant. This fine dining establishment is nestled under a lemon grove and is famed for its garden-like ambiance. Unfortunately this restaurant is also pretty touristic and focuses more on the aesthetics than the taste of the food.

Take a lemon garden tour: If you’re looking to delve even deeper into the story of lemons in the Sorrento peninsula, then I recommend booking a guided garden tour like this one. You’ll get to learn about how the famed citrus fruit is cultivated and even taste some local marmalade. Find more details here.

Take a cooking class: I personally love taking cooking classes wherever I visit as it adds an entirely new dimension to the trip and allows you to interact with locals on a more local level. There are a number of cooking classes available, though this one is particularly reviewed and you’ll learn how to make various types of pasta surrounded by a lemon grove!

taormina cooking class
A pasta making class in Italy is the perfect way to dive deeper into Italian culture

Buy lemon-themed souvenirs: From gorgeous dresses covered in lemon prints (though the prices of these garments within Sorrento can be pretty eye-watering) to lemon-infused pasta and local Limoncello, there’s no shortage of gorgeous lemon-themed souvenirs you can acquire along the Amalfi Coast and Sorrento peninsula.

sorrento pottery
Lemon themed porcelain for sale in Sorrento. If you head just down the coastline, you’ll reach Vietri, hich is famed for its pottery production.

Other lemon varieties in Italy

Of course, Sorrento and Amalfi lemons are not the only citrusy fruits you can buy in Italy. Another fruit which is closely associated with the boot-shaped nation is the bergamot orange, which is native to southern Italy. There are also a number of lemon varieties, the most popular of which I’ll list below:

lemon grove on the amalfi coast

Siracusa lemon (known in Italian as limone di Siracusa IGP)

This lemon originates from the Italian island of Sicily and is the most common variety of lemon found across Italy, accounting for around 30% of the Italian lemon supply.

During the 17th century, the wild lemon plant (found abundantly across the Mediterranean, Syria, the Middle East, and Mesopotamia but originating in Burma) was cultivated through the work of the Jesuits. The Siracusa lemon is characterised by its high juice content and is around the size of an apple.

Ischia lemon

Another area of Italy which is prized for its lemon production is the island of Ischia. Located in the Bay of Naples, this lush and verdant island was known for its lemons as early as the Roman period. The various thermal waters on the island, as well as the mineral rich mud makes for a rich lemon that is often used in spa treatments.

Lemons of Riva del Garda

Lake Garda in northern Italy is another location where prized lemons hail from. Lemons were introduced to the area by the friars of San Franceso di Gargnano in the 13th-century when they began to build the large orangeries that can still be found across the area.

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